ACROSS THE NATION.

Report: 488 foster kids can't be found

October 03, 2002|By Items compiled from Tribune news services.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA — Hundreds of foster children in the Los Angeles County child-welfare system can't be found.

An internal study by the Department of Children and Family Services released Tuesday found the nation's largest foster care system--with about 50,000 children--was unable to find 488 of them as of Aug. 30.

"This is yet another shocking revelation of a beleaguered child-welfare system that puts children at more risk," said attorney Linda Wallace Pate.

County officials believe more than 50 percent of those missing were taken by a relative. The rest are thought to be runaways.